Vice President of Development

Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

Vice President of Development

Location flexible, with preference for Midwest or East Coast

The team behind the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL) aims to create a presidential library and museum for one of the most intriguing figures in our nation’s history, in one of our nation’s most iconic settings. Medora, North Dakota has been chosen as the ideal location for the Library due to Theodore Roosevelt’s strong relationship with the Badlands. Roosevelt first arrived in the Badlands in 1883 for sport and adventure. He returned to Medora the following year to heal his broken spirit after the deaths of his mother and wife. The impact of this landscape on Roosevelt is an important aspect for the vision of this project: the TRPL will construct a building that celebrates not just Theodore Roosevelt but also his connection to the remarkable landscape that influenced him – and, by extension, our nation – so deeply.

The pillars, mission, vision, and values of the TRPL all align around the goal of using Roosevelt’s life and legacy to inspire the next generation of leaders, citizens, and conservationists to get in the arena and make the world a healthier, safer, more equitable, and sustainable place. To accomplish this goal, the TRPL plans to develop an array of activities, programs, partnerships, and content that together form an interconnected web that will align around a common purpose and message. Site selection and the hire of the TRPL architect are complete.

During the past year, a small team led an audacious drive to raise funds for the Library, leveraging the North Dakota Legislature’s creation of a $50 million Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum Endowment Fund to secure more than $100 million in private donations. The natural brand of Theodore Roosevelt and the remarkable tailwinds provided in North Dakota by the Governor, Melani and Rob Walton, and the Roosevelt family, among others, has elevated the Library in a crowded media and philanthropic marketplace. TRPL fundraising has evolved organically, quickly raising substantial funds through highly personalized, network-based outreach. This amazing fundraising success has mainly come from less than a dozen individual donors, despite the significant headwinds of 2020.

The Library’s current task is to enlarge the fundraising enterprise and project the case for support beyond the North Dakota region to tap the interest and generosity of a national audience. Informed by existing fundraising counsel and a professional, interview-based outreach initiative conducted in late 2020, TRPL plans to continue to play to its leadership gift strengths while enhancing outreach, gift asks, and gift closing discipline. The library also plans to incrementally expand dedicated fundraising staff, advance Board development, and establish strategic partnerships, a marketing plan, and an ongoing committee structure to drive development activities at different levels. With substantial principal gifts fundraising success to date, as well as the endorsement and support of the North Dakota Governor and legislature, the Library has embarked on advanced planning for an ambitious nine-figure campaign initiative that will focus primarily on Library programming and fulfillment of its broader mission. 

Amid this favorable context, TRPL seeks candidates for the newly established role of Vice President of Development (Vice President). Reporting to the CEO, the Vice President will lead and guide the development and implementation of the Library’s comprehensive fundraising efforts, ensure alignment with mission and strategy, advance a culture of philanthropy, and execute against short and long-term objectives in an evolving and growing organization. In direct, daily partnership with the CEO and the development team, and with the help of the Board of Trustees, the successful candidate will forge new relationships and expand the TRPL’s visibility, impact, and financial resources. The Vice President will be responsible for establishing and implementing the infrastructure needed to grow and convert what is now essentially a principal gifts shop into a fully functional institutional advancement office with major gifts, a thriving annual fund, special events, corporate and foundation support, and other core programs coordinated with branding and communications.

The Vice President must be committed to building a high-profile, nationally recognized program that does not fit within the usual category of nonprofit organizations. They will understand the Library’s mission and the sweep of its vision and will fit well within a culture of driven, organized, dedicated, and fun professionals. This is an exciting, high-access, frontline opportunity that requires creative synthesis. With TRPL offices in Bismarck, North Dakota and New York City, this role is national in scope and can be optimally served through Midwest or East Coast residency, although candidate location is flexible.

The ideal candidate will have the following personal and professional skills, qualities, and competencies:

- Passion for the mission and values of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

- Five or more years of nonprofit fundraising experience with direct, seven-figure solicitation success, experience with multi-faceted fundraising functions, and experience with industry best practices.

- Strong knowledge and fundamental adherence to principles, ethics, and best practices of successful fundraising and/or marketing.

- Thorough understanding of all components of a diversified funding base and how different gift harvesting structures (e.g., annual fund, major and planned gifts, corporate and foundation relations) are integrated to cultivate greater donor commitments.

- Strength in prospect discovery, with a track record of utilizing new methods of donor engagement and connectivity. A forward thinker who will be driven by innovation in developing philanthropic best practices in the current and post-COVID-19 world.

- Demonstrated success in developing the case for support and strategic, innovative fundraising plans, and executing those plans to grow fundraising and exceed goals.

- Experience in hiring, managing, and mentoring a staff and fostering a collegial, constructive, transparent work environment.

- Demonstrated analytical skills in evaluating existing programs, conceiving and implementing new programs or strategies, and resolving complex and/or sensitive operational and interpersonal issues.

- Effective personal presentation skills with an authentic, compelling, ability to win the attention and respect of top-level donors and volunteer leaders.

- Superior written communication skills that set the standard in an organization with superior language talents, especially concerning varied audiences (external solicitations, personal correspondence, etc.).

- Strong computer skills, including experience using word processing, CRM, and presentation software, and the functional understanding of cross communication among these systems.

- Ability to manage the national scope of the project, with a willingness to travel as required.

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. TRPL does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library has retained the Diversified Search Group to assist in this confidential search process. Inquiries, nominations, and applications (current resumes and cover letters) should be directed electronically to:

Gerard F. Cattie, Jr.

Managing Director

Practice Leader – Development & Philanthropy

Diversified Search Group

The Chrysler Building, 405 Lexington Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10174

gerard.cattie@divsearch.com | 212.542.2587